Winterberry Holly Seed
- Masses of bright red berries glow on bare winter stems after leaves drop
- Right at home in rain gardens, pond edges and soggy low spots
- Feeds songbirds through the coldest months of the year
- Start seeds in early summer for a native deciduous holly hardy to zone 3
Key Attributes
About Winterberry, Holly Seed
After the leaves drop, the stems glow with masses of bright red berries well into winter on this native deciduous holly. Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata) saves its best show for that season, and it is right at home in wet or soggy spots, making it a standout for rain gardens, pond edges and low areas. Birds feast on the fruit through the cold months, and cut branches are a favorite for holiday decorating.
Growing details
Plant profile
Seed & variety
Before Planting
Planting
Watering
Fertilizer
Harvesting
Tips
Pests & Diseases
Leaf spot and powdery mildew are occasional but minor. Chlorosis is common on alkaline soil.
Usually pest-free. Deer may browse young plants, and leaf miners can mark foliage.
Native States & Regions
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
Native regions: Widespread Native
Its Role in the Native Ecosystem
Winterberry's small spring flowers are visited by native bees and other pollinators. Its persistent red berries feed robins, bluebirds, cedar waxwings and many other birds in late winter when food is scarce, and its dense branches offer shelter.
Winterberry Holly Native Range Map
Native range describes natural occurrence, not the origin of this seed lot or every location where a plant can be grown.
Alaska and Hawaii are shown as insets. State-level range does not mean a plant occurs throughout every part of that state.
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